U.S. U19 Women

U.S. Rallies Past Australia for FIL U19 Women's World
Championship

Cortney Fortunato scored three goals, including two
during a game-changing 5-0 run for the U.S. in the second half, to
help the Americans win their fourth consecutive FIL U19 World
Championship with a 14-11 decision over rival Australia in Germany
Saturday. Fortunato, the youngest player on the U.S. squad, was one
of five Americans named to the All-World Team (below).

HANNOVER, Germany -- The U.S. captured its
fourth consecutive Federation of International Lacrosse Under-19
Women's World Championship Saturday with a 14-11, come-from-behind
win over archrival Australia. Team USA trailed 6-3 midway through
the first half, but stormed back to complete its title run and end
the tournament with a perfect 8-0 record.

"Just saying those words – world champions! You can't even
get your mind around it and what that feels like," U.S. head coach
Krystin Porcella said. "The excitement of being in the world
championship was so close, and I think it got to us a bit in the
beginning. We were nervous, but we were able to find
ourselves."

Attackers Cortney Fortunato and Covie Stanwick led the Americans
with three goals each. Midfielder Tatum Coffey (2g) won player of
the match for her tough play between the lines on the fiercely
contested draws.

"The bottom line was we had fun," Coffey said. "We knew we had
it, so that's all it took. We trained for a year, and it came down
to that moment."

Team USA had a relatively easy victory over Australia in the
round robin, winning 20-7. The championship game was a different
matter. Australia opened scoring on a crease roll by attacker Sarah
Lowe (3g, 1a), and the two teams traded goals until the U.S. went
up 3-2 on an unassisted tally from Mikeala Rix, who dodged through
several attackers to give the Americans their first lead of the
day.

Then Australia went on a four-goal run, keyed by Danielle
Mollison (5g), that put the score at 6-3. Australian goalie
Elizabeth Hinkes (8 saves) was a stalwart in the cage, frustrating
the powerful American offense. With Australia working from behind
the net and prowling the crease to devastating effect, the
Americans were trailing for the first time in tournament play.
Rix stopped the Australian run with another unassisted goal, and
Kelly McPartland (1g) scored on a free position to cut the deficit
to 6-5. Mollison added another goal on an assist from Lowe, but
Brigid Smith scored on a free position and Stanwick beat Hinkes on
a bounce shot to make the score 7-7 at the half.

"Looking at the score and seeing it was 7-7, I thought, 'Man,
we've got some work to do,'" Porcella said.

In the second half, the Americans went to work. The defense
switched to a high-pressure look that limited the Australian
attack, and Duryea came alive, making seven of her nine saves.

"They scored seven goals on me before I got a save. We'd never
experienced that," Duryea said. "The biggest thing is having a
short memory. You go out in the second half and it's a brand new
game. We started to have more fun."

The Americans struggled on the draw, winning only 11 of 27
attempts, but thanks to eight caused turnovers, they had enough
possessions to go on a five-goal run that gave them a 12-8 lead
that they never relinquished.

Australia fought until the final possession, though. Lowe scored
on an outside shot to cut the American lead to 14-11 with 2:14 to
play. Midfielder Darcy Justice Allen (2g) won the final draw and
got the ball to Lowe, whose shot was stopped by Duryea. Mollison
tried to press Duryea and stepped in the crease, resulting in a
free possession for the goalkeeper. But then the Americans were
whistled for an offsetting foul – too many players on the
field – and instead of a free position for Duryea, it was a
toss between Mollison and defender Alyssa Blevins. Mollison won the
toss, and Australia had two shots in the last minute – one a
pipe, one a save by Duryea – but the Americans held on for
the win. The game is another storied chapter in the history of one
of lacrosse's greatest rivalries, with the Americans besting the
Australians for the fourth straight time in five meetings in this
FIL U19 gold medal game.

"It's just incredible," said U.S. team captain Taylor Trimble.
"We had every reason to freak out. We had never been in that
position before, but we were poised, and it resulted in a victory.
Turning around with the world cup and seeing everyone's faces was
just so great."